Tennis racket



Dec. 27, 1938. H. G RANGER 2,141,824

TENNI S RAGKET Filed 1957 Fig.3

Fig.2

.9 RANGER %Wwz ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 27, 1,938

UNITED STATES TENNIS RACKET Halleck G. Ranger, Seattle, Wash.

Application August 30,

2 Claims.

This invention relates to tennis rackets and particularly to tennis rackets with triangular head bands and methods of constructing the rackets.

strings are threaded through the frames of the head through the inner .edges outward, and laced around the periphery thereof. These over laced portions are exposed and after a short period of use become frayed by frequent contact with the surface of the tennis court, and then they either break or stretch. Attempts have been made to provide against such wear, but such attempts have been too expensive and have proved ineffective. Most of such former heads have been constructed of wood for lightness and have been subject to warp when the strings were tightened and also when subjected to rain or any moisture.

Expert tennis players generally prefer to practice with a head or handle of considerable weight, but when engaged in active contest games they prefer a lighter weight, either of the head or of the handle, or substitution of one for the other, especially interchanging of handles when familiar with the form of handle, from former use. Again the ordinary rackets with assembled handles and head exemplified as usual are too lengthy to be carried conveniently, particularly in travel.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a tennis racket from a strip or band of tubular metal, light inweight and substantially triangular in cross section provided with holes for the strings placed cross wise to the narrow inner edge or rib of such tube, thereby protected from contact with the tennis court and other objects. Such metal heads to be of tough material to withstand severe use and exposure 40 to all weathers without bending or warping. It is a further object to provide adjustable means for connecting such heads with handles of varying weights for different uses and interchangeable one with the other.

It is a still further particular object to provide a simple method for construction of a racket from standard commercial parts and stock at a low cost and whereby the racket produced will overcome all previous objections in form and price.

With these and other objects, I have illustratively exemplified my invention by the accompanying drawing of which,

Figure l is a plan view with a part of the han- In the usual construction of tennis rackets the- 1937, Serial No. 161,558

dle broken away and the strings schematically designated,

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view of the inner edge or rib of one side or interior of the racket head and top of the handle therewith,

Figure 3-is an enlarged detailed plan view of. the parts and methods of connecting the heads and handle taken on lines 33 of Fig. 2,

Figure 4 is a cross section view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3,.

Figure 5 is an end view of the handle,

Figure 6 is a fragmentary detail of a portion of the head showing the plan of attaching the strings,

Figure 7 is a cross section view taken on line 1-1 of Fig. 6,

Figure 8 is a fragmentary side elevation of a simple form of jig for binding the head bands in the oval shape as desired,

Figure 9 is a cross section view taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

Like numbers on the different figures represent like parts. Number Ill represents the head member, in general, which is preferably formed of-a strip or band of light tubular metal such as duraluminum, commonly known as dural, in substantially triangular cross section with one corner elongated as a base of a letter V designated as II. This band is bent or formed over preferably a jig as indicated in Figs. 8 and 9, into desired oval form for stringing with the two ends'or legs I 2 extended in parallel spaced relation from a lower end of the oval. Cores I3-|3 are inserted inside each end of the tube which extend above the legs into the oval portion providing rigidity to the legs and to prevent the tube from collapsing when outside clamps are applied. Near the inner edge of the rib suitable holes 14 are provided crosswise therethrough for passage of strings or preferably grommets l5 through which strings are threaded or laced from side to side. The ends or entrances of these grommets are curved to provide rounded seats 14' as seen in Fig. 7 to prevent abrasion of the strings when stretched in tension thereover.

Positioned between the legs I2 is a flattened wedge or block 11 provided with grooves or seats |8-I8 in each edge thereof to conform with the sloping sides of the legs. A collar or ferrule I9 is mounted over both, and bolts or rivets 20 are then extended through the legs, cores and block, whereby, such legs are rigidly clamped and affixed within the grooves by the tightening of the rivets.

The block is preferably cast in one piece of light tough metal such as dural and widened at its upper end IT to conform to the curves of the legs beneath the head and the walls of continuing grooves retain the lower portion of the head in rigid relations with the block and collar. The upper end of the block is also tapered to provide a thin rib II for grommets I! for each string.

A suitable ha'ndle 2| is adjustably connected with the block as follows: The collar is enlarged or expanded on each side of the block to provide sockets 22, and the upper end of the handle is provided with spaced tenons or jaws 23 which are slidably positioned astride the block and within the sockets. The lower end of this block is also provided with a hole and thread therein 23, and the handle is provided with a tie bolt and thread thereon 26, which meshes in the thread 24 for binding the top 2| of the handle against the bottom of the block. The lower end of the bolt is provided with a wing head 2'! by which the bolt may be manually turned and the handle to be tightened for use or loosened for removal. At the base of the handle is provided an enlarged flange. or walls 28 surrounding the wing head to prevent the same from entanglement in the clothes of the player. The outer edge of this flange is preferably knurled or roughened as 29, to provide a holding knob for the hand and to prevent the slipping from the hands of the players. The handle is preferably substantially straight and symmetrical and may be of wood, and different handles for the same head may be formed of diiferent weights for different purposes of play, so as to be readily changed for such use or disengaged for transportation in small compass. The triangular metal strip for the head may be purchased from general stock in straight strips or hands and cut into the right length with the completed head and legs combined. Owing to the difficulty of bending such triangular tubes into the oval shape for the heads, a jig is preferably provided as indicated in Figs. 8 and 9. 30 indicates a flattened frame which may be made in shape of the head to be formed thereover and provided with a V groove 3| around the periphery for an insertion of the rib I l therein. Levers 32 and 33 are mounted on pivots 34 and 35 and provided with rollers 36 and 3 on axles 38 and 39. The outer ends of the levers are provided with handles 40 and 4| for operating the rollers over the metal strips to force the same down into'the grooves around the frame to fix the desired oval form thereof. The roller 36 is preferably adjusted to form the outer end, or top of the head, and the roller 31 and longer lever 33 may be adjusted to provide the desired oval shape to the remainder of the head above the reverse curve at the tops of the legs. After one end has been shaped, the strip may be reversed and the other end shaped by the roller 31. Other jigs may be devised, and I do not limit myself to the form disclosed, but show the same for a simple means for quickly and easily forming an oval head, from a straight strip of the triangular material, without collapsing the walls 01' the triangle. The holes for the grommets, are preferably bored, after the strips have been bent into oval shape, to prevent any difilculty in positioning of the grommets. For light play, it is sometimes sufiicient to provide a countersunk rounded entrance at each end of the holes, to avoid fraying of the strings, without the grommets, but as the latter are obtainable at a small cost and easily inserted they are preferable, and the entrances thereof can be quickly rounded over to provide a suitable shoulder and bearing for the strings.

It will be understood that the use of the hollow triangular metal for the head is specially important. The head is thereby both light and strong. The inner positioned rib ll, not only carries the ends of the cross strings, in protected positions, but this rib effectually prevents any portion of the oval shape of the head from being bent or compressed inward. The two outer corners or ribs, of the triangle not only guard the ends of the strings from injurious contact with the ground when in play, but they effectually prevent any portion of the head from warping or becoming misshaped in sidewise direction, when used in play, or during transportation.

Having described my invention I claim as new:

1. A tennis racket comprising a head portion formed from a single piece of metal substantially V shape in cross section, the ends extending in substantial parallel relation, 9. block having opposite V shaped grooves and a central threaded hole, said grooves receiving the ends of the head portion in sliding relation, a collar encompassing said ends and said block and holding the ends firmly within the grooves of the block, a handle portion slidable within said collar and means cooperating with said central threaded hole for adjusting said handle portion.

2. A tennis racket as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means consists of a single bolt cooperating with said threaded hole and extending longitudinally of said handle portion adapted to adjust said handle longitudinally to shift the balance of the racket.

HALLECK G. RANGER. 

